Age effects on Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) indexes and subtests

This study examined age effects in the standardization samples of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) and compared these, where appropriate, to the norms of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition (WMS-III). On the Adult (16-69 years) and Older Adult (65-90 years) batteries of the WMS-IV, the most pronounced declines were on the Visual Memory Indexes starting in the 35-44 years cohort. The Auditory Memory Indexes showed the least deterioration, which did not commence until the 85-90 years age range. Subtest scores for the Adult Battery indicated that Logical Memory I was unchanged from 16 to 69 years. Likewise, only one scaled score point decline was evidenced on Logical Memory II. Conversely, WMS-III Logical Memory I performance showed a one scaled score point decline in the 18-19 years age band and progressed to moderate (i.e., 4 scaled score points) and large (i.e., ≥6 scaled score points) reductions by the 65-69 and ≥80 years cohorts. Logical Memory II showed even greater age-related deterioration. Age decline data at each age cohort are provided for all subtests and indexes from the Adult and Older Adult batteries as well as for the WMS-III subtests in common with the WMS-IV.

Clinical utility of the Wechsler Memory Scale--Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) in predicting laterality of temporal lobe epilepsy among surgical candidates

This study evaluated the accuracy of the Wechsler Memory Scale--Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) in identifying functional cognitive deficits associated with seizure laterality in localization-related temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) relative to a previously established measure, the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Emerging WMS-IV studies have highlighted psychometric improvements that may enhance its ability to identify lateralized memory deficits. Data from 57 patients with video-EEG-confirmed unilateral TLE who were administered the WMS-IV and RAVLT as part of a comprehensive presurgical neuropsychological evaluation for temporal resection were retrospectively reviewed. We examined the predictive accuracy of the WMS-IV not only in terms of verbal versus visual composite scores but also using individual subtests. A series of hierarchal logistic regression models were developed, including the RAVLT, WMS-IV delayed subtests (Logical Memory, Verbal Paired Associates, Designs, Visual Reproduction), and a WMS-IV verbal-visual memory difference score. Analyses showed that the RAVLT significantly predicted laterality with overall classification rates of 69.6% to 70.2%, whereas neither the individual WMS-IV subtests nor the verbal-visual memory difference score accounted for additional significant variance. Similar to previous versions of the WMS, findings cast doubt as to whether the WMS-IV offers significant incremental validity in discriminating seizure laterality in TLE beyond what can be obtained from the RAVLT.